Charlotte residents consider town plan

CHARLOTTE - More than 100 Charlotte residents gathered last month during a public hearing to hear the town Planning Commission's review of recent trail and wildlife vision maps.

Revisions to the two documents could lead to amendments to the town plan.

Under Vermont law, the document, which must be reviewed and adopted at least every five years first by a municipality's planning commission and then by the select board.

According to the Charlotte Planning and Zoning Department, the Charlotte Conservation Commission submitted a map and writing for a wildlife habitat map, while the trails committee handed in an updated trails vision map. Two meeting are slated for January at town hall about the amendments.

The updated map serves to "protect local ecosystems while guiding future development."

Over the summer, the Charlotte Trails Committee hosted three public sessions to jump start discussions between the group and town residents about trails and any updates to the map. Based on those talks, the panel re-worked the maps, basing where trails and their main connection spots should be sited.

Once the maps are finished, there may be additional hiking, biking and other recreation areas. That opens the door for construction of new trails in the future.